The Power of Five
by Whispers In The Stars
Summary: Emily, Adriane, and Kara have just discovered some powerful secrets about magic and are given a new quest: Find those who have magic and bring them to the Mage Academy. Soon startling amounts of magic appear and while the girls are off recruiting young mages, dark forces are threatening to topple Ravenswood which is left, unprotected.
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight filtered through the pane windows, tracing patterns, as dust swirled off the oak chests and tables in the library in Ravenswood Manor. Two teens, one dark haired the other red, were busily occupied with sweeping, dusting, and vaccuming the immense room. 'Adriane, d'you know when Kara will be here?', Emily, the bright red-haired one asked as she sat down onto the shaggy carpet, exhausted. 'Nope, she was _supposed_ to be here an hour ago. Obviously she's late!', Adriane said throwing her hands into the air and sinking into one of the soft leather chairs.

A magnificent wolf sat beside her and rested its head between its banded paws. _She's always late! _Dreamer, her bonded said with a wolfish grin. Adriane smiled, 'So true!' Suddenly a distinctive popping noise could be heard as the air filled with brightly colored miniature dragons. D-flies as Kara called them. 'Emmeee!', one exclaimed and flew over to land on Emily's shoulder. 'Hey Goldie! Where's Kara?' she asked as the golden D-fly squeaked and covered her eyes. Adriane shot Emily a confused expression and she shrugged in response.

Suddenly a loud _bang_ caused both girls to jump as the blazing star materialized in front of them. But the fact she had suddenly appeared wasn't what caused the girls to continue to stare at Kara. It was the fact, she was dripping from head to toe in . . . purple paint. The blonde teen stood frozen in anger and annoyance as her fingers twitched itching to get a hold on something or someone. Emily noticed that Adriane was straining not to laugh as she clapped a hand over her mouth. But when the blazing star whipped around and paint splattered all over, she burst out laughing along with the D-flies. 'Kara w-what happened to you?' she exclaimed as she struggled to contain her laughter.

Kara's icy glare was enough to silence the warrior. 'My magic is . . . all flooie! One minute I'm in my room painting, next paint spills all over me, and then I suddenly pop up here! I don't kno- . . . Aaahhh!' Kara screeched realizing just how much paint had been spilled on her. 'This is my brand new DK shirt! No way am I buying another one just because . . .' As she babbled on and on, Adriane ran upstairs and brought down a change of clothes and a towel for the raving blonde. Kara calmed down and graciously took the items and went to change in the bathroom. _Well, that was interesting. I think she had a little difficulty with the paint . . . _Dreamer said telepathically.

'You think?' Adriane said wryly. Kara walked back into the room in a fresh pair of clothes, most of the purple stains vanished. 'So Barbie, how come you were late?' Adriane prompted. Kara rolled her eyes and took a seat on a wooden backed chair embellished with decorative swirls. 'Well I was redecorating my room and I decided to paint it. So I was standing on this ladder with the paint can so I could reach the ceiling and suddenly Kyle bursts into the room. That little . . .!' Kara said, looking as if she wanted to get her hands around her brother's neck. 'So he totally surprised me and I got really angry with him and suddenly . . .' Kara trailed off rubbing the scalloped jewel hanging around her neck. The others all waited in anticipation.

'Then suddenly all the paint cans in the room exploded! I don't know how! All I thought was that I wanted to get out of there! Anywhere. Then I thought of how late I was going to be to Ravenswood and when I thought that, suddenly I was here! Something is going on with my magic and I don't know . . .' Kara said nervously. Emily put a comforting arm around Kara's shoulder. 'Look we'll figure it out 'kay?' Kara nodded. Adriane was pacing the room thoughtfully. 'Okay, we know you've had trouble with you're magic before, but this is different. I think it has to do something with the root of your power . . .' Adriane halted her speech as a beautiful turquoise and gold owl soared into the room, a small figure on its back. 'Ariel!' Emily called and the owl came to rest on her arm, nuzzling her face. 'Hey Tweek', Kara said. 'O me twig! What happened to you?', the experimental fairimental exclaimed looking at the remains of paint on her face and arms. 'Paint accident . . .' she said.

'Well I couldn't help but overhear your talk and have some interesting news to share.' The three girls stood and walked over to the twiggy figure as he searched though the jewel containing the HORAFF guide. 'Here it is! Well you all know your elements, correct?' They nodded. 'Well it seems during different seasons and planetary alignments, your element and magic is incredibly stronger while another's may be weaker.' 'Wait, wait. So you mean Kara's magic goes crazy just because it's the summer? Is she supercharged?' Adriane exclaimed. 'In a way, yes. Your element is at its peak during the spring because its earth. This will end up working to your advantage . . . as long as you can control your powers of course.'

The girls stood still as they tried to absorb this information. "So Tweek . . . I'd be strongest during . . . winter right?' Emily said slowly. Tweek nodded. 'Hey wait! So my magic is going to be flooie all summer? How come this didn't happen when we were level one mages?' Kara said sounding annoyed with a tinge of unsettlement in her voice. 'Your element was dormant then, but now it's stronger and your magic is also', Tweek said knowingly. 'No!' Kara said moaning. Adriane ignored the blond girl and tried firing a band of gold and silver fire but only a thin, weak stream of light came from her jewel. 'What?' Adriane said shocked. "What's wrong with my magic?' Dreamer growled and whined uneasily from her side. 'If you train hard, it is likely you can be just as strong as you were, even if it's not the peak of your element', Tweek assured her.

'I guess your power isn't just as strong during summer than in spring 'cause their opposites', Kara said smugly. Adriane glared at her, the tigerseye gem set in her bracelet glinting dangerously. 'Watch it Barbie!' she hissed. Kara took a step back, uncertain. 'Guys . . . lets not fight right now!' Emily said nervously as soft aqua light pulsed from her jewel. 'Er . . . there's more', Tweek said meekly trying to get the girls attention. Two heads whipped around and said, 'Yes?' at the same time. 'Well . . . you see . . .' Tweek fiddled with his leaf encrusted body. 'It may be best if you followed me' With that he jumped onto Ariel's back and she soared overhead and out the window. Adriane turned to Kara.

'Okay Kara, you're up. Do some teleporting.' Adriane said, concentrating. Kara nodded nervously and the jewel around her neck pulsed with diamond and pink light. Emily and Adriane added soft turquoise and bright amber and silver in rings around Kara. In her mind Kara pictured the glade. Suddenly her jewel erupted with a burst of light. The girls vanished.


	2. Chapter 2

The glade was quiet, save for the willow trees, which dipped their soft green leaves into the water breaking the stillness. Ripples spread out from around the branches in the water, the only detectable movement in the area. Suddenly, a unusually strong wind swept through the trees. Leaves fly into the air. With a resounding 'pop', the mages appeared out of thin air. Dreamer also appears, unfortunately landing on Kara. 'Ugh, get off me!' Kara said heaving herself up off the ground, as Dreamer leaped to Adriane's side. 'Does diet mean anything to you?' Kara grumbled under her breath.

Adriane shot Kara a dirty look, which she returned by sticking her tongue out. Emily sighed and stepped between them. A dark shadow moved in overhead, carrying a small twig figure on its back. 'Lyra!' Kara called, as the magnificent spotted leopard spiraled downward on two feathery, graceful wings. The great cat landed agilely at Kara's side. Tweek dropped to the ground in front of the mages. 'Alright. Well to continue our conversation . . .' he trailed off, noticing that Kara wasn't hearing a word. She had busied herself in tending to Lyra's gleaming pelt.

'Really, I need to get you some different shampoo . . . ew look a burr!' They all turned to look at her. Adriane raised an eyebrow at the blonde. 'Huh? What?' Kara said sheepishly. 'Tweek's trying to tell us something! Might as well listen, I mean can't shampoo wait?' Adriane said exasperated. 'Fine Xena', Kara said as if she were talking to a two-year old. Gold light pulsed dangerously from Adriane's stone. Tweek ignored them and continued. 'You all know what the elements are, correct?' They all nodded.

'Water' Emily said and with a swift motion and twist of her hand, a pure arc of crystal water flew from the glade pool. Emily twisted it in a graceful circle beads of sweat forming on her brow. The strain was obviously becoming to much. The water splashed down on the unlucky Kara. who happened to be right under the quivering water. 'Aaaahhhh!' she screeched. 'First the paint, and now this!' Enraged, Kara rose to her feet and shouted, 'Fire!' A sudden gust of pure light flew from her jewel in a brilliant coil of light. Kara struggled to control the tide of magic and directed it at herself. Immediately, her clothes and hair dried but the heat became intense.

Adriane could see rippling waves of heat coming from Kara's jewel. 'Help!' Kara screamed. Adriane could see the sheer terror in Kara's eyes as the magic fire hungrily gazed down at the mages. Whirling into action, Adriane leaped out of the way of the oncoming plight. Suddenly, her head snapped up as she landed. Somehow, she had miscalcuated. The fire barreled right toward her.


	3. Chapter 3

Adriane remembered very little. She thought she heard muffled voices above her and was that Gran's face? Her eyes fluttered open and closed. Eventually she let her body go limp as she succumbed to the darkness. When she woke, she was in her room propped up on pillows her hands and forearms bound tightly in fresh white bandages. The first thing Adriane noticed was the searing pain underneath the bandages. Frantically she unwound the bandages half way until a voice in the doorway said, 'I wouldn't do that if I were you.'

Adriane slowly looked up. She knew those blue eyes, tha crinkly smile, and the sandy blonde hair. 'Zach! What are you doing here?' Adriane cried out happily. 'What?' said Zach trying his best to look offended. 'You don't want me here?' he laughed. 'No!' Adriane said a bit too quickly and then blushed. Zach smiled and entered the room. He took the whole setting in, the posters lined up neatly on the wall, the shining red guitar sitting in the corner, and the beautiful and intricate designs of the dreamcatchers that hung on the bedposts.

'They catch bad dreams you know.' Adriane said nodding towards them. 'The stones in the middle power them . . . like a web of protection . . .' Adriane trailed off remembering that she had told Emily the same thing when she first met her. 'They actually remind me of the webs that Aldenmor natives make. There's a story to go with it you know . . .' Zach said scooting onto the bed.

'Long, long ago when Aldenmor was young there were the original Three. The original mages . . . the Healer, Warrior, and Blazing Star . . . This story focuses on the Warrior, Erinia. She was beautiful and strong as an oak with long lean legs and flowing brown hair the color of fresh earth. Erinia often smelled of lily flowers but oddly enough there was always a kind of static in the air around her and she often would dart nervously like a snake.'

'Though, many said that Erinia possessed snake-like qualities it wasn't strange that she bonded with a lepress. And – 'Wait, wait. What's a lepress?' 'It's a snake-like creature except it's covered in fur. They're always female and generally live in bogs and moors. What's really dangerous about them though is their ability to mesmerize their prey . . . draw it in . . . and then . . .' Both shivered.


End file.
